This invention relates generally to the field of electronic chassis and in particular, to an apparatus and method for providing automatic alignment of a circuit board within a chassis.
Electronic devices such as modems and routers typically include a circuit board mounted within a metal chassis. The metal chassis typically include a plurality of openings (or cutouts) that are positioned along a rear wall of the chassis to allow input/output connectors that are surface mounted to the circuit board to extend into the cutouts. This allows a technician to access the various input/output connectors. The circuit board is typically fastened to the chassis with a fastener such as a screw or bolt that extends through a fastener opening in the circuit board and a fastener opening in a bottom wall of the chassis.
To fasten the circuit board to the chassis, the circuit board is slidably positioned onto the inside surface of the bottom wall of the chassis so that the back edge of the circuit board contacts the rear wall of the chassis. The circuit board typically includes a locator notch located along the front edge of the board that mates with a locator tab located along the front edge of the chassis. The circuit board then has to be manually oriented with respect to the chassis so that the fastener opening in the circuit board aligns with the fastener opening in the bottom wall of the chassis. Proper alignment of the circuit board ensures that the input/output connectors are properly oriented relative their respective cutouts in the rear wall of the chassis.
There are several disadvantages associated with attempting to align the circuit board with the chassis manually. Oftentimes, the circuit board will slide too far into the chassis. As a result, the fastener opening in the circuit board does not line up with the fastener opening in the bottom wall of the chassis. If this happens, the locator notch along the front edge of the circuit board may not engage the locator tab on the chassis. Moreover, the input/output connectors may be pushed too far out beyond their respective cutouts.
Attempts have made to provide a gasket between the rear wall of the chassis and the back edge of the circuit board. However, the gaskets themselves add significant costs to the chassis. Moreover, they must be installed manually, which is very labor intensive process, which also results in increased costs.
Attempts have also been made to use input/output connectors that are adapted to be mounted flush with the rear wall of the chassis. However, oftentimes the circuit board will include a wide variety of input/output connectors having various depths that are not adaptable to be mounted flush with the rear wall of the chassis.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have an apparatus and method for automatically orienting a circuit board within a chassis that overcomes the disadvantages described above.
One aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for providing automatic alignment of a circuit board within a chassis including a housing member having an end wall portion. The end wall portion includes a plurality of openings formed therein for receiving a plurality of connectors. The end wall portion further includes a first raised portion and a second raised portion to provide automatic alignment of the circuit board within the chassis. The first raised portion may preferably be positioned adjacent a first end of the end wall portion and the second raised portion may preferably be positioned adjacent to a second end of the end wall portion. The first and second raised portions may each preferably have a circular shape and may extend inward into the housing member. The housing member may further include a first flange portion including an opening formed therein which is aligned with the first raised portion and a second flange portion including an opening formed therein which is aligned with the second raised portion to receive and guide the circuit board. The opening in the first flange portion may be comprised of a slot and the opening in the second flange portion may also be comprised of a slot. The housing member may further include a first sidewall portion and a second sidewall portion. The first flange portion may extend preferably outward substantially perpendicular from the first sidewall portion and the second flange portion may preferably extend outward substantially perpendicular from the second sidewall portion. The first flange portion may preferably be positioned adjacent to an end of the first sidewall portion and the second flange portion may preferably be positioned adjacent to an end of the second sidewall portion. The first and second sidewall portions may each preferably include a plurality of openings formed therein. The housing member may further include a third raised portion extending from a bottom wall portion of the housing member. The third raised portion may preferably include an opening formed therein for receiving a fastener to secure the circuit board to the housing member. The fastener may preferably be a screw. The third raised portion may preferably have a circular shape and may extend inward into the housing member. The housing member may preferably include an alignment tab portion to align the circuit board with the housing member. The alignment tab portion may preferably be positioned along a front edge portion of the housing member. The alignment tab portion may preferably extend outward substantially perpendicular from a bottom wall portion of the housing member. The circuit board may preferably include a notch portion, and the alignment tab portion may preferably be received in the notch portion. The notch portion may preferably be positioned along a second end of the circuit board. The circuit board may preferably be fastened to the housing member. The housing member may preferably be comprised of a single piece of conductive material.
Another aspect of the invention provides an apparatus for providing automatic alignment of a circuit board including a housing member having an end wall portion. The end wall portion includes a plurality of openings formed therein for receiving a plurality of connectors. The end wall portion further includes a first raised portion and a second raised portion. The first raised portion is positioned adjacent a first end of the end wall portion and the second raised portion is positioned adjacent a second end of the end wall portion. A circuit board including a first end is positioned within the chassis. The first end of the circuit board contacts the first and second raised portions to provide automatic alignment of the circuit board within the chassis.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of providing automatic alignment of a circuit board within a chassis. A housing member including an end wall portion is provided. The end wall portion includes a plurality of openings formed therein for receiving a plurality of connectors. The end wall portion further includes a first raised portion and a second raised portion. A circuit board including a first end is also provided. The circuit board is positioned into the chassis, and the first end of the circuit board is contacted with the first and second raised portions to provide automatic alignment of the circuit board within the chassis. The housing member may also preferably include a first flange portion having an opening aligned with the first raised portion and a second flange portion having an opening aligned with the second raised portion. The first end of the circuit board may preferably be inserted through the opening in the first flange portion and through the opening in the second flange portion to guide the circuit board. The circuit board may preferably be fastened to the housing member.
The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.